The Covered Market

The Covered Market is a covered market built between 1870 and 1875, designed by Garlick, Park & Sykes. It was initially constructed by Joseph Clayton of Preston, followed by P.D. Bennett & Co of West Bromwich, and finally completed by William Allsup. The building features cast-iron columns and wrought-iron girders and principals with tension bars, topped with a hipped slate roof adorned with red ridge tiles. It has a rectangular plan oriented on an east-west axis and is a tall open-sided structure that follows a downward slope from east to west, consisting of 13 by 3 bays.

The columns are set on square pedestals with dog-toothed panels, with three marked "J.CLAYTON PRESTON" and 31 marked "W.ALLSUP." They have clustered shafts with foliated caps and large open-work brackets that support trellis girders with applied ornamentation. Prominent curved open-work brackets are attached at right angles to the girders, extending to the oversailing eaves. The roof is constructed with closely set principals and wrought-iron tension bars. The market experienced a collapse during construction in August 1870, and its completion was delayed due to disputes between the designer and contractors, as well as an appeal to Sir William Fairbairn. The Covered Market forms a group with the Fish Market and Amounderness House.